Prepaid Short Messaging

ABSTRACT

A prepaid messaging solution which uses open networking standards (e.g., TCP/IP) and which supports pre-payment of enhanced Internet messaging services. The disclosed prepaid architectures and methods accurately determine if a subscriber has sufficient account balance to deliver a complete short message, prior to delivery of the message. The short message may be prevented from being delivered (either at the source end or at the destination end) if insufficient funds are in the subscriber&#39;s account. A prepaid tariff engine is preferably extensible over a TCP/IP network, and supports remote interaction with the SMSC and web chat servers for the purpose of applying a real-time billing charge for each message. A service provider may create subscriber classes of service that define and uniquely identify subscriber rate and/or tariffing plans used to apply real-time billing charges for sending or receiving of messages. The prepaid short message tariff engine determines the appropriate message billing based upon, e.g., flat rate per message, message count (e.g., 10 messages @ $ 5.00), character count (e.g., $0.01/char.), Time of Day, Day of Week (i.e., peak &amp; non-peak hours), type of message, and/or mobile location (i.e., network point code). The prepaid short messaging service preferably supports Internet web page access to subscriber&#39;s relating to their short messaging account balances and status maintained in the prepaid short messaging database of the prepaid messaging server.

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/185,053 to Titus et al., filed Feb. 25, 2000, entitled“Prepaid Messaging”, the entirety of which is expressly incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to short messaging systems. Moreparticularly, it relates to prepaid billing of short message services.

2. Background of Related Art

Prepaid voice services exist. In a prepaid voice scenario, as part ofthe establishment of a telephone call, a service queries a database fora particular subscriber to determine if there is at least a given amountof funds available to pay for a call about to be made. In such a prepaidvoice scenario, the ultimate cost of the desired telephone call is notknown at that time, because the caller may not know the exact length oftime that they would like to speak. Thus, a ‘minimum’ cost of thetelephone call given the location of the called party (e.g., for a 3minute call) may be determined, and compared to the remaining balance inthe caller's service account. If there is sufficient money remaining topay for at least the minimum cost of the telephone call (e.g., to payfor a minimum 3 minute call), then the call is allowed to go through andbe established.

In the conventional prepaid voice system, when the subscriber's accounthas been exhausted or nearly exhausted, the subscriber is initiallywarned about the dwindling account balance. Ultimately, if the accountbalance is not replenished in time, the telephone call will beterminated due to lack of funds.

Conventionally, when a called party does not answer a telephone call, avoice message may be left in a voice mailbox. However, since thetelephone call was not answered, there typically is no tariffing or costapplied to the subscriber's account. While this may be advantageous tothe subscriber, the wireless carrier service does not recover costs withrespect to that voice message.

Nevertheless, while prepayment for voice telephone calls has beenaccomplished, existing technologies have not applied the concepts ofpre-payment to the world of short messaging (e.g., Internet messagingdelivery services) as have prepaid wireless voice & calling cards. Thelack of pre-payment service for messaging increases the possibility forfraudulent billing with respect to payment collections, particularlywith respect to the high demand for wireless information services.

There is a need for an architecture and method for providing prepaidmessaging services.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a method andapparatus for handling a prepaid messaging service comprises tariffing ashort message before transmission. An account database is queried todetermine if an account corresponding to an addressed party of the shortmessage has sufficient funds to pay for transmission of the shortmessage. If the account has sufficient funds, the short message istransmitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following description with referenceto the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary prepaid SMSC mobile originated mobile chatscenario in an implementation including a prepaid messaging systemcontroller (SMSC) mobile originated (MO) chat, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of exemplary modules in a prepaid messagingsystem providing a prepaid messaging service, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary process of implementing prepaid messagingservices, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows the step of performing message tariffing shown in FIG. 3 inmore detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a prepaid messaging solution which usesopen networking standards (e.g., TCP/IP) and which supports pre-paymentof enhanced Internet messaging services. The disclosed prepaidarchitectures and methods accurately determine if a subscriber hassufficient account balance to deliver a complete short message, prior todelivery of the message. The short message may be prevented from beingdelivered (either at the source end or at the destination end) ifinsufficient funds are in the subscriber's account.

Short messaging architectures are significantly different from meretelephone systems, and thus prepaid short messaging is quite differentfrom prepaid voice telephone calls. Accordingly, the implementation ofprepaid accounting for short messaging encounters different issues thandoes prepaid accounting for voice telephone calls.

For instance, voice telephone calls are conventionally billed ortariffed based on a length of the telephone call. However, such billingor tariffing is not useable for short message cost recovery because mostshort messages can be transmitted in a blink of an eye, or at the mostjust a few seconds. Thus, prepaid voice telephone techniques andapparatus provide no workable solution to tariffing for short messages.

In a short messaging system, the length of the short message is known atthe time of transmission (unlike voice telephone calls which areindefinite in nature, and must be ‘cut off’ when account balancesdwindle). For instance, the approximate total number of ASCII typecharacters will be known, or the approximate total size of a transferredfile may be known. Thus, in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention, short messages may be tariffed based on the substanceof the short message being transferred.

This is significantly different from that encountered in conventionalprepaid voice telephone systems, where the costing of a particular voicetelephone call can be finalized only after completion of the voicetelephone call. It is only after someone in the voice telephone call hashung up that the final length of the telephone call (and thus the finaltotal cost of the telephone call) can be known. Thus, either prepaidvoice telephone call accounts run the risk of being overdrawn to anegative balance, and/or the subscriber (and their called party) may besubject to embarrassing and inconvenient disconnects in an ongoingtelephone call corresponding to the point at which the account balancebecomes drawn down to $0.00.

Conventionally, wireless & Internet Messaging services have been capableof billing only on a postpaid basis. The present invention enables awireless carrier or Internet service provider to accept pre-payment ofenhanced short messaging services, including but not limited to shortmessages originated by a wireless device (e.g., Short Message ServiceMobile Originated (SMSC MO)), short messages terminated by a wirelessdevice, i.e., sent to a wireless device (SMSC Mobile Terminated (SMSCMT)), and IRC and other chat messages. In addition, Internet Pushinformation service short messages may be prepaid (e.g., stock quotes,e-mail, weather, sports scores, etc.), as can individual & network gamecards, and/or Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) services.

A U.S. Patent Application disclosing an architecture and method forproviding prepaid voice call management in an intelligent network isdisclosed in a co-owned application, U.S. application Ser. No.09/533,805, entitled “PREPAID CALL MANAGEMENT IN INTELLIGENT NETWORK”,by Elizabeth Countryman, Timothy J. Lorello, Mark Titus, and Dara Ung,the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.Conventionally, wireless and Internet short messaging services have beencapable of billing, if at all, only on a postpaid basis. A prepaid shortmessaging service in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention enables a wireless carrier or Internet service provider toaccept pre-payment of both simple (i.e., short text messages) as well asenhanced (e.g., WAP applications, HTML documents, etc.) short messagingservices.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, real-timebilling can be implemented for the delivery of short messages, allowingthe prepayment of short messaging services. The real-time billing candebit subscriber balances for service usage, and can suspend shortmessaging services for a particular subscriber when the subscriber'saccount balance is depleted. Preferably, the subscriber can continuetheir short messaging service by depositing additional funds into theiraccount via a suitable replenishment method.

For instance, a user may access a direct interface to a credit cardauthorization center to debit funds from a credit card and apply thesame to their short messaging account. Replenishment may alternativelybe accomplished over the Internet or via a suitable SMSC mobileoriginated message. Voice recognition techniques may be implemented tofacilitate easy fund transfers into a users short messaging account.

A prepaid short messaging service in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention can be implemented as a standalone service, or maybe bundled with other applications, e.g., with a prepaid voice telephonecall wireless application.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary prepaid SMSC mobile originated mobile chatscenario in an implementation including a prepaid messaging systemcontroller (SMSC) mobile originated (MO) chat, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention. While FIG. 1 shows the particularexample of a mobile originated chat message, it is to be understood thatthe prepaid messaging system and methods in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention are also applicable to many othermessage types.

A U.S. Patent Application disclosing an architecture and method forproviding Internet chat capability to mobile units is described in aco-owned application, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/525,926, entitled“MOBILE ORIGINATED INTERNET RELAY CHAT”, by Richard A. Smith, Orville A.Pike, and Johanna Wilson, the entirety of which is expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIG. 1, a prepaid short messaging server 200, incommunication with a short messaging service center (SMSC) 120. The SMSC120 includes, e.g., an SMSC database 130, and accesses the Internet 195via an appropriate wireless Internet gateway 140. A suitable wirelessInternet gateway 140 is shown and described in co-pending U.S.application Ser. No. 09/630,762 to Richard Smith, filed Aug. 2, 2000,entitled “Wireless Internet Gateway”, the entirety of which isexplicitly incorporated herein by reference.

By way of example, short messages may be passed between, e.g.,Applets/Intelligent agents 160, personal digital assistants (PDAs) suchas a PalmPilot™ Internet Push or Gaming card device 185, and Desktopchat clients 190.

In the given example, a chat server and/or gaming server 170 is shownwithin the network of the prepaid service provider. Of course, the chatserver 170 may be external to the service provider's network andaccessible via the Internet 195.

The prepaid short messaging server 200 comprises a prepaid shortmessaging account database 110, a prepaid short messaging serviceapplication 100, and a prepaid short messaging service rating engine(i.e., prepaid tariff engine) 150.

The prepaid tariff engine 150 preferably supports data driven ratingstructures that can be modified at run time.

The prepaid tariff engine 150 is preferably extensible over a TCP/IPnetwork (e.g., the Internet 195), and supports remote interaction withthe Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 120 & web chat servers (e.g.,170) for the purpose of applying a real-time billing charge for eachmessage.

The prepaid tariff engine 150 preferably supports tariffing based on thefollowing message types: Short Message Service Mobile

Originated (SMSC MO), SMSC Mobile Terminated (SMSC MT), Prepaid InternetChat Rooms/Messages, Prepaid Internet Push information service messages(e.g., stock quotes, e-mail, weather, sports scores, etc.), PrepaidIndividual & Network Game cards/applications, and Wireless ApplicationProtocol (WAP) services.

A prepaid short messaging service in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention preferably supports service provider creation ofsubscriber classes of service that define and uniquely identifysubscriber rate and/or tariffing plans used to apply real-time billingcharges for sending or receiving of messages. Moreover, the prepaidshort messaging service preferably supports Internet web page access tosubscriber's relating to their short messaging account balances andstatus maintained in the prepaid short messaging database 110 of theprepaid messaging server 200.

While the prepaid messaging server 200 is shown comprising the prepaidtariff engine 150, prepaid messaging service application 100 and prepaidshort messaging account database 110, each of these elements may beexternal to the prepaid messaging server 200, or combined with anotherelement of the service provider's network, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

Prepaid delivery of a chat message is shown in sequential steps in FIG.1.

In particular, in step 1, using a wireless handset device (i.e., mobilephone, palm pilot, etc.) Mobile A 102, provisioned with prepaid chatservice, registers into a chat session & composes a short messageservice mobile originated (SMSC MO) message targeted for all chat roomparticipants. In this example chat room participants are Mobile B 104,Mobile C 106 and the Desktop Chat Client 190 as indicated in FIG. 1.Note in this example Mobiles B & C (104, 106), and the Desktop Chatclient 190 are non-prepaid accounts.

In step 2, the SMSC application 120 receives an SMSC mobile originatedmessage from Mobile A 102, validates the identity of Mobile A 102, thenqueries the prepaid short messaging account database 110 to determine ifsufficient balance exists to deliver the message originated by Mobile A102. If the Mobile A 102 account balance is not sufficient, then proceedto step 10, otherwise if sufficient balance exists in Mobile A's prepaidaccount, the SMSC 120 forwards Mobile A's message to the chat server 170(step 8), and notifies the prepaid short messaging service application100 with a delivery receipt message (step 3).

In step 3, the prepaid messaging service 100 receives an interservicemessage from the SMSC application 120.

In step 4, the prepaid messaging service application 100 processes thedelivery receipt message received from SMSC 120. The message contentsmay include, e.g., Mobile A's mobile identification number (MIN), Timeof delivery, Time of Arrival, Message Status, and/or Message Type.

In step 5, the prepaid messaging service 100 invokes the prepaid tariffengine 150 to determine the appropriate message billing based upon,including but not limited to, the following exemplary criteria: Flatrate per message, message count (e.g., 10 messages @ $ 5.00), charactercount (e.g., $0.01/char.), Time of Day, Day of Week (i.e., peak &non-peak hours), and/or mobile location (i.e., network point code).

In step 6, the prepaid messaging service 100 debits the account ofMobile A 102 based upon the billing rate as computed by the prepaidtariff engine 150.

In step 7, the chat server 170 processes Mobile A's message, determinesgroup members in the current chat session, then forwards a “broadcastmobile terminated message” request to the SMSC 120 for delivery toMobile B 104 & Mobile C 106. The chat server 170 delivers the message tothe desktop chat client 190.

In step 8, the SMSC 120 stores and forwards the broadcast message fordelivery to Mobile B 104 & Mobile C 106 (step 5).

In step 9, Mobiles B & C (104, 106) receive the message originated fromMobile A 102.

In step 10, the SMSC 102 has determined that Mobile A′s account balanceis insufficient to deliver the originated message. The SMSC 120 thendiscards the originated message and launches an SMSC mobile terminatedmessage for Mobile A 102. The message contents inform Mobile A 102 thathis/her prepaid account balance is too low and that Mobile A 102 needsto recharge the account in order to continue service.

In step 11, the same process would apply for the SMSC mobile terminatedmessage delivery scenario where Mobiles B & C (104, 106) are prepaidsubscribers.

The prepaid short messaging service 100 preferably interfaces with aShort Message Service Center 120 and/or Web servers (e.g., 140, 170) toprovide real-time message billing based on pre-payment. The prepaidshort messaging service 100 prevents delivery of messages for conditionswhere the subscriber balance is insufficient.

The prepaid short messaging service 100 preferably interfaces with aShort Message Service Center 120 and/or Web servers (140, 170) toprovide real-time and/or periodic notifications to subscribers ofinsufficient balance conditions.

The prepaid short messaging service 100 preferably interfaces with aShort Message Service Center 120 and/or Web servers 140, 170 to buffersubscriber messages for a variable period of time and inform subscribersof pending messages. The application preferably suspends subscriberservice until their account balance has been sufficiently replenished.

The prepaid short messaging account database 110 may be managed by therelevant service provider, e.g., by a wireless service or an InternetService Provider (ISP)

FIG. 2 shows in more detail the prepaid server shown in FIG. 1.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the prepaid service architecture isdistributed and extensible over a local or wide area network. Theprepaid short messaging server 200 contains the subscriber data andserver processing logic required for basic call processing,communication with the Web & SMSC servers, message tariffing (i.e.,rating engine) and subscriber balance updates. The IntelligentPeripheral 250 contains service logic responsible for providingreplenishment functions via the Integrated Voice Response system 254.

The present invention relates to use by, e.g., wireless carriers,Internet service providers (ISPs), information content deliveryservices/providers, portal sites for mobile-terminated hosting of chatgroups, Internet chat session hosts, and/or Internet gaming hosts. Theprinciples of the invention may be used in intelligent networksincluding, e.g., short message servicing centers, prepaid and webgateway applications, prepaid paging systems, prepaid Internet access,prepaid gaming cards, and/or prepaid Internet chat sessions.

The prepaid tariff engine 150 preferably supports tariffing based onmessage-based (and not time based) criteria.

For example, the prepaid tariff engine 150 may base the fee charged tothe subscriber based on, e.g., a flat rate per message, message count(e.g., 10 messages @ $ 5.00), character count (e.g., $0.01/char.), Timeof Day, Day of Week (i.e., peak & non-peak hours), mobile location(i.e., network point code).

In addition, or alternatively, the rates for delivery of the shortmessage may be based on its type, e.g., distinguishing rates betweenShort Message Service Mobile Originated (SMSC MO) messages, SMSC MobileTerminated (SMSC MT) messages, Internet chat room messages, and/orinformation service messages (e.g., stock quotes, e-mail, weather,sports scores, gaming, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) messages,etc.).

Preferably, delivery of short messages is prevented if the prepaid shortmessaging service application 100 determines, from query of the prepaidshort messaging database 110, that insufficient funds remain fordelivery of a given short message. In such a case, a real-time shortmessage notification may be provided to the subscriber indicating thenon-delivery of the short message the insufficiency of an accountbalance in a suitable short message format. Additionally, oralternatively, the short message notifications may be deliveredperiodically and/or upon demand.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary process of implementing prepaid messagingservices, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In particular, as shown in step 302 of FIG. 3, a short message isreceived for delivery.

In step 304, tariffing of the short message is performed in the prepaidtariff engine 150.

In step 306, the balance of the sender's account is determined, e.g.,from query of a subscriber short messaging account database 110. Notethat in short messaging, the exact cost of transmitting the message isknown up front, and thus the risk of overdrawing a particular accountbalance is reduced or eliminated.

In step 308, if a sufficient subscriber account balance remains, theshort message is delivered as depicted in step 310. If sufficientsubscriber account balance does not remain, the delivery of the shortmessage may be prevented, as depicted in step 312. It is preferred thatin this case the subscriber be notified, e.g., by short messaging suchas a text message, that the particular short message was not delivereddue to a determination of an insufficient subscriber account balance.

FIG. 4 shows the step of performing message tariffing 304 shown in FIG.3 in more detail.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, tariffing may be based, e.g., on flatrate message billing (step 402), a particular rate given per characterin a text file or for a particular length of a given file (step 404),and/or based on a particular message type (step 406). The particulartariffing technique may be configurable by the service provider and/orselectable by the subscriber, e.g., by choice of a particular serviceplan.

If flat rate message billing 402 is enabled, a subject short message islogged and the subscriber's account in the prepaid account database 110is appropriately debited a fixed amount per message, as shown in step408.

If, on the other hand, a rate is affixed in accordance with the numberof text characters and/or the length of a particular file (e.g., abinary file), then a particular cost is associated with the subjectshort message, as depicted in step 410.

If a rate is applied based on a particular type of short message, thenthe message type is determined in step 412, and a cost associated withthat particular message type (e.g., as determined from a look-up file)as shown in step 414.

Step 415 ensures billing is performed by providing a default billingmechanism.

As shown in optional step 416, adjustments may be made to the costingassigned in prior steps due to peak hour usage. For instance, a 20%premium may be added to the costs associated with the transmission of aparticular short message based on the time of submission fortransmission.

The prepaid short messaging system preferably supports direct interfaceto a credit card authorization center associated with the serviceprovider's merchant identification number, and allows replenishment overthe Internet. The direct interface may be implemented via a securesocket connection over the Internet 195 to an authorized Internetserver.

The prepaid short messaging service application 100 preferably supportsindirect interface to a credit card authorization center associated withthe service provider's merchant identification number, and allowsreplenishment via an SMSC mobile originated message. For instance, insuch a scenario, a mobile subscriber typically has a signature on filewith the service provider, as well as authorized spending limits formobile replenishment transactions. The direct interface may beimplemented via a secure socket connection over the Internet 195 to anauthorized Internet server.

The prepaid short messaging service application 100 preferably supportsa prepaid subscriber replenishing their account via credit card at theirdiscretion, e.g., by dialing an Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVRU254 shown in FIG. 2). Using this technique, a subscriber is prompted toeither speak or manually enter their credit card information (e.g.,number and expiration date), and the transaction is then processedautomatically.

Of course, the principles of the present invention may encourage and/orimplement transmission of short messages during non-peak or otherwisedesirable times to reduce costs.

While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplaryembodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to makevarious modifications to the described embodiments of the inventionwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method of handling a prepaid short messaging service, comprising:tariffing a short message before transmission; querying an accountdatabase to determine if an account corresponding to an addressed partyof said short message has sufficient funds to pay for transmission ofsaid short message; and if said account has sufficient funds,transmitting said short message. 2-30. (canceled)